FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 15, 2025


Conservatives Condemn NDP Inaction Following Fatal Lions Bay Landslide


“For 16 years, successive provincial governments – particularly the NDP – have ignored expert advice on landslide risk management. This neglect has put vital transportation and communication links in jeopardy and placed lives at risk.”

– Macklin McCall, Conservative Party of BC MLA for West Kelowna-Peachland & Shadow Minister of Emergency Management


VICTORIA, BC: The Conservative Party of BC criticises the NDP for ongoing failures to address landslide risks, as highlighted by the tragic Lions Bay mudslide in Dec. 2024. “The fatal Lions Bay landslide that claimed two lives on Dec. 14, 2024, follows 16 years of government inaction, mainly by the NDP,” stated MLA Macklin McCall. “The province must take charge on this file to prevent further loss of life from landslides.”

Despite receiving a landmark coroner report with clear recommendations in 2008, the provincial government has failed to act on a single suggestion in 16 years, leaving people across the province vulnerable and causing BC to fall behind best practices.

“For decades, the provincial government has neglected landslide preparation, leaving our province’s infrastructure unprepared and undefended,” said McCall. “This reactive approach has left British Columbia’s highways, railways, and communities vulnerable to catastrophic events, risking people’s lives and billions in damages.”

The Nov. 2021 Pacific Northwest flood event was one of the most expensive natural disasters in national history and serves as a reminder of the cost of inaction. The event devastated the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island with flooding and landslides, resulting in Vancouver and the Island being completely cut-off for extended periods. 

“A Conservative government will implement a proactive strategy to invest in resilient infrastructure and effective disaster preparedness to safeguard our province’s communities and defend our economy,” McCall affirmed. “It is time for real emergency management leadership that puts the safety of British Columbians first.”

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